Effect of Innovation on Firm Performance — The Case of a Technology Intensive Manufacturing Cluster in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (07) ◽  
pp. 1950052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Chandrashekar ◽  
M. H. Bala Subrahmanya ◽  
Kshitija Joshi ◽  
Tathagat Priyadarshi

Industrial clusters can be sources of innovation. Further, externalities rendered by clusters entitled firms in clusters to various economic benefits. The motivation of the study is to understand what determines the net benefits that these cluster firms receive. While innovation is a key driver of firm performance, it has not been probed adequately in the context of a cluster. The present study which draws data from 101 technology intensive manufacturing firms in Bengaluru cluster adopts stratified random sampling technique. The study employs Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to examine the influence of firm-level innovation on performance, considering the role of various firm-specific factors in moderating the relationship between innovation and performance. The results of the study reveal that there does not exist any direct relationship between innovation and firm performance. However, a strong and nonlinear relationship between them is moderated by firm-specific factors such as firm size, nature of Industry, origin of a firm and firms’ age. The findings of the study have brought out an important lesson for policy makers that mere promotion of industrial clusters does not ensure the generation of innovations by firms located therein, for their benefit. A cluster focused innovation promotion policy has to consider industry/firm-specific characteristics for its effective implementation.

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 1407-1419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Nihat Solakoglu ◽  
Nazmi Demir

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the effect of gender diversity on firm performance and evaluate how that relationship is influenced by some firm-specific factors for firms in an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach – The authors collected firm level financial data and firm level characteristics for the firms listed in BIST100 index of Borsa Istanbul for the period between 2002 and 2006. Due to endogeneity of gender diversity and firm performance, the authors utilize unbalanced panel data with 2SLS specification. To observe the sensitivity of results across measures of performance, three measures of performance, two accounting-based and one market-based, are utilized. Findings – Overall, the authors find some weak evidence that gender diversity impacts firm performance. In particular, the findings imply significant association between gender diversity and firm performance for firms that are targeting local markets, for firms in the financial sector and for firms that are family or block-owned. Moreover, findings are fragile with respect to the measures of diversity and performance selected. Originality/value – Although the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance are investigated several times in the past, there are not many studies that examines the role of firm-specific factors on that relationship. By revealing the factors that are important, this study provides an explanation why the existing literature leads to mixed results.


Author(s):  
Qing Hu ◽  
Robert T. Plant

The promise of increased competitive advantage has been the driving force behind the large-scale investment in information technology (IT) over the last three decades. There is a continuing debate among executives and academics as to the measurable benefits of this investment. The return on investment (ROI) and other performance measures reported in the academic literature indicate conflicting empirical findings. Many previous studies have based their conclusions on the statistical correlation between IT capital investment and firm performance data of the same time period. In this study we argue that the causal relationship between IT investment and firm performance could not be reliably established through concurrent IT and performance data. We further submit that it would be more convincing to infer causality if the IT investments in the preceding years are significantly correlated with the performance of a firm in the subsequent year. Using the Granger causality models and three samples of firm-level financial data, we found no statistical evidence that IT investments have caused the improvement of financial performance of the firms in the samples. On the contrary, the causal models suggest that improved financial performance over consecutive years may have contributed to the increase of IT investment in the subsequent year. Implications of these findings as well as directions for future studies are discussed.


2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 355-371
Author(s):  
Eloisa Pérez de Toledo ◽  
Evandro Bocatto

Corporate governance is a set of mechanisms relevant to economic efficiency since it can minimize agency problems. The question is to determine how governance and firm performance interact. Recent research shows that firm-level corporate governance mechanisms are more important in countries with low investor protection, suggesting that firms can partially compensate for ineffective legal environments. Within this context, the objective of this paper is to construct a robust proxy for quality of corporate governance for the Spanish public companies. Thus, after providing an extensive literature review on the field of corporate governance and its interaction with firm performance, we construct a governance index (GOV-I) for a sample of 97 Spanish non-financial public companies. Finally, we assess the determinants of governance in the case of Spain. The results show a significant relationship between governance and performance, future growth opportunities and size, demonstrating that Spanish firms adopt better standards of governance to compensate for the low level of investor protection holding in the country.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 491-506
Author(s):  
Maria Kontesa ◽  
Andreas Lako ◽  
Wendy

Human capital effects have been ignored as important resources to induce the organization’s performance in firm-level research. The proponents of human capital theory and resource-based view theory argue that the human resources attached to each board member, such as networking, education, and experience, might induce the performance. Yet, agency theory argues those strategic resources might bring higher transaction costs and entrenchment costs. Therefore, this study aims to examine the board's capital effect on firm performance for a sample of 252 listed firms in Indonesia over 2011–2017. Using dynamic GMM panel regression, we confirm the hypothesis about board capital and performance. The results imply that board members’ networking and experience are two important factors for firm performance. However, boar members’ education does not give any impact. It confirms prior theories whereby the capability and competency of directors are an important source for the firm to achieve its objective. Networking and experience might help the firm to avoid financial distress. It furthers implies that shareholders should choose board members with a high level of networking and experience, not education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 982-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sibanjan Mishra ◽  
Ranjan Dasgupta

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the cross-impact of leverage and performance for firms operating in the developed and frontier bank-based economies. Design/methodology/approach This study uses annual panel data for a sample of 400 firms over a period of 27 years from 1990 to 2016. The sample sample firms consist of developed, Germany, France and Japan, and frontier including Argentina and Sri Lanka bank-based economies firms. The authors employ a simultaneous equation modeling consisting of two equations estimated using the two-stage least squares procedure to examine the cross-relationships between leverage and performance after controlling for other firm-level variables like size, growth and liquidity. Findings The empirical results are presented in two sets. First, in the case of firms in the developed bank-based sample, the authors find a negative debt-to-performance relationship and a negative performance-to-debt relationship. This inconsistent negative debt–performance relationship implies that firms operating in these economies use debt beyond a threshold limit, which, in turn, increases agency issues between the managers and debt-holders, thereby influencing firm performance adversely. Second, for frontier economies firms, the authors find a positive debt-to-performance relationship in line with the “trade-off theory.” Furthermore, the authors find a negative performance-to-debt relationship for both sub-samples in line with the “pecking-order theory.” Originality/value The study is distinct from earlier empirical studies and contributes largely to the existing literature. First, it emphasizes whether financial leverage influences firm performance in bank-based economies as firms operating in such systems are exposed directly to the strict regulatory environment. Second, it investigates whether any reverse relationship emanating from firm performance to capital structure holds for firms of these countries. This issue, to the best of author knowledge, is unanswered in previous research, more specifically for developed and frontier bank-based economies. Moreover, the results are relevant, as firm managers, analysts and policymakers must consider the importance of such cross-debt-performance relationships, while determining the optimal capital structure, in the bank-based economies.


2018 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Yasin Mahmood ◽  
Muhammad Faisal Rizwan ◽  
Abdul Rashid

Purpose– This main purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of corporate financial flexibility (FF) on financial distress and performance of firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). It enables to know how financial flexibility affects the firm financial strength, financial distress, and corporate performance. Design/methodology/approach –This study focuses on a firm level data of 192 non-financial firms covering the period 1992 - 2014. The fixed effect model logistic regression is applied by using unbalanced panel data to examine the impact of financial flexibility on financial distress, and performance of sample firms. Findings – The results reveal that financially flexible firms are less likely to face financial distress. As firms have more financial flexibility, the probability of financial distress decreases as well. It is also found that financially flexible firms are more likely to perform well than counterpart firms. By using the Altman z score as a measure of financial distress it is revealed that as the Altman z score increases, the chances of financial distress reduce as well. These findings also suggest the existence of pecking order in Pakistani firms; because firms rely on internal sources first, second go to external sources of financing. Practical implications – the findings of this study enable the corporate managers to avoid financial distress by obtaining and maintaining financial flexibility by keeping the leverage level lower than industry level. By attaining and maintaining financial flexibility, corporate managers can also raise the performance of the firm as well. It can also enable to make appropriate capital structure decision to finance managers of corporate firms. The creditors may provide the loan to sound firms who have no or least chances of financial distress. The lenders may also get benefit from it by requiring the interest rate as per risk of financial distress of the firm. Investors may avoid investing in firms having very little or no financial flexibility. JEL Classification– G33, L25 Keywords: Altman z score, financial flexibility, firm performance, return on asset, panel data, financial distress, modified z score.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Alexander Irungu Wanjiru ◽  
Stephen Makau Muathe ◽  
Jane W. Kinyua-Njuguna

Theoretical literature in strategic management describes performance as outcome of firm’s strategic objectives, which are developed and executed at the corporate level of management. Conceptual propositions also suggest that the external operating environment of a firm influences the relationship between its corporate strategies and performance. This paper examines the direct effect of corporate growth strategies on performance of large manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The strategies under study are market development, product development and diversification. The paper also examines the moderating effect of external operating environment on the relationship between corporate growth strategies and performance of the large manufacturing firms. The authors adopted indicators of competitive position, consumer behaviour and credit accessibility to measure external operating environment.Multistage probability sampling technique was used to select study sample of 189 firms. One hundred forty eight firms responded where primary data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study findings indicate that corporate growth strategies have a positive and significant impact on a firm’s performance. It also found out that external operating environment has a moderating effect on the relationship between corporate growth strategies and firm performance. The study has important implications for managers and policy makers of the manufacturing firms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (03) ◽  
pp. 1950015 ◽  
Author(s):  
SANA ULLAH ◽  
COLIN C. WILLIAMS ◽  
BABUR WASIM ARIF

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between informality, innovation and firm survival. To do so, a study of a cluster of electrical fittings firms in Pakistan is reported. Reporting bivariate and multivariate probit models to analyze two surveys conducted between 2008 and 2017, the finding is that there is a significant relationship between informality and the extent of innovation, firm survival and firm performance. Informality has an adverse negative effect on firm-level innovation, firm survival and firm performance. Given that formal enterprises in this cluster are better performing in terms of innovation, survival and employment growth than informal businesses, the paper concludes by discussing the theoretical, policy and research implications.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Roach ◽  
Joel A. Ryman ◽  
Joyline Makani

Purpose – Ever since Sarasvathy’s (2001) seminal article, scholars have sought to test effectuation’s affect on firm performance. Although recent work has begun the arduous process of testing effectuation’s effect on entrepreneurial performance, there is still much to learn about its impact on firm performance. One such area is the relationship between effectuation and innovation. The purpose of this paper is to first, propose a scale suitable to the explication of the effectuation construct relative to innovation. Second, it proposes a more parsimonious scale for the measurement of innovation. Third, these scales are tested relative to firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – This paper develops and tests a structural model, which investigates aspects of effectuation as mediators between innovation orientation and product/service innovation. This is accomplished using a sample of 169 electronic product manufacturing-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Subjective measures of performance are used as the dependent variable. Findings – The three most widely used measures of innovativeness were found to break cleanly into two sub-constructs, namely innovation orientation and product/service innovation. Effectuation measures included means (who I know), leverage contingencies (experimentation), pre-commitments and affordable loss. Means and leverage contingencies were found to positively mediate innovation orientation and product/service innovation leading to increased firm performance. Affordable loss did not show a mediating role, but had a direct effect on firm performance. Research limitations/implications – This study establishes two distinct sub-constructs of firm-level innovation; namely innovation orientation and product/service innovation. Second, by testing an innovation-centric effectuation model, this research establishes an empirical relationship between effectuation, innovation and firm performance. Practical implications – Practical implications include establishing a relationship between means, leverage contingencies and innovation-performance, indicating that the ways through which small and medium-sized enterprises use their innovation networks may affect innovation outcomes and ultimately firm performance. Originality/value – This research establishes an empirical relationship between effectuation, innovation and firm performance, extending effectuation theory from the entrepreneurship to the innovation literature.


2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 94-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Pérez-Luño ◽  
Ana Maria Bojica ◽  
Shanthi Golapakrishnan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of a specific mechanism for cross-functional integration (CFI) in the relationship between product innovation and firm performance. It takes a contingency perspective, accounting for how these relationships vary depending on the degree of organizational knowledge complexity. Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses are tested via regression analysis with interaction effects in a sample of 105 wineries from Spain, using both objective and subjective firm performance data. Findings The results obtained confirm the existence of significant triple interaction effect of CFI, knowledge complexity and product innovation on firm performance. CFI has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between product innovation and performance and this effect varies according to the degree of organizational knowledge complexity. Research limitations/implications This paper looks at variables that have been hitherto studied at the project or product level, at the firm level, in an attempt to untangle the relationship between innovation, CFI, knowledge complexity and firm performance. Study’s main limitations lie in the use of a cross-functional design and its focus on a single industry. Practical implications Firms dealing with complex organizational knowledge could use this CFI mechanism in the development of new products when their size and resources do not allow the creation of more formal temporal structures, such as cross-functional teams. However, unless the winery has to deal with a high degree of knowledge complexity, involving the oenologist in several functional areas for the purpose of coordination, may detract resources from product innovation effort and lead to a poorer performance. Originality/value This study showcases a mechanism of CFI not explored in previous research, but used in practice at many firms, i.e. the cross-pollination of ideas across different functional areas through the participation of the responsible for the product development, and tests its role in the relationship between product innovation and different types of firm performance.


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